On 12 April3018, the same day that Gandalf returned to the Shire after many years,[5]Samwise Gamgee was visiting the Green Dragon when the talk turned to Tree-men, one of whom had been seen by Sam's cousin Hal. Although queer tales had begun to be heard in the Shire the hobbits at the inn, especially Ted Sandyman, laughed at Sam's story.[6]

When Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and Sam returned to Bywater on 2 November3019[7] they found the Green Dragon closed with broken windows and a half dozen Ruffians loitering nearby. When they insulted Frodo the other three hobbits drove the men away.[2]

After the Ruffians and Sharkey had either been killed or driven away the Green Dragon Inn was undoubtedly restored.

In the original version of Thorin's letter to Bilbo, the rendezvous point for the start of the journey to the Lonely Mountain was the Great Mill.[8] Not long before the story was published this was changed to the inn, first named the Green Man and finally the Green Dragon.[9]